Music-leaf turner



Dec. 1, 1925. 1,563,393

- L. OSTERMAN MUSIC LEAF TURNER Filed May 22. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1' Dec. 1,1925.

L. OSTERMAN MUSIC LEAF TURNER Filed May 22, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet s E w w. mm

Dec. 1, 1925:

L. OSTERMAN uuszc man man Filed May 22. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

E :15 l4 yggflaferwiarz Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

LAWRENCE OSTERMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

Application filed May 22, 1922. Serial No. 562,735.

T 0 all 407mmit may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE OsrERMAN, a citizen of Yugoslavia, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Music-Leaf Turner; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a music leaf turner in which the bound volume or note sheets are placed upon a stand before the player.

And it is an object of this invention to provide mechanism operable by the foot of the player for turning one leaf at a time, preventing the other leaves from being turned and reversing any leaf or number of leaves when it is desired to repeat.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an eflicient, reliable and simplified mechanism for performing these functions.

I'Vith these and other objects in view, which will become more apparent in the following description and disclosures in the drawing, this invention comprises the novel mechanism and combinations of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferredembodiment of this invention, and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the different views Figure l is an elevational view of a music stand to which this invention has been applied.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view thereof upon an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a fragmentarvplanview of the music note sheets upon an enlarged scale.

Figure f is an elevational detail view of the mechanism for preventing more than one sheet from being turned.

Figure 5 is an enlarged front elevational view of the music sheet holder illustrating my invention with the tripod or supporting standard removed with parts in lowered position.

Figure 6 is a rear elevational view of the structure shown in Figure upon an en lei-god scale,

Figure Tis a top plan view upon an enlarged scale of one half the music sheet holder with parts removed.

Figure 8 is a bottom plan View of the structure shown in Figure 7 upon a similar scale with parts omitted.

Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of the other half of the sheet holder upon an enlarged scale illustrating the mechanism for reversing the leaves.

F igure .lOis a sectional view through the music holder showing the leaf shifter or flexor in raised position upon an enlarged scale.

Figure 11 is an end elevational view of the right hand end of the music stand upon an enlargedscale, looking from the right iandend of Figure 7.

Figure 12 is a'section on the line 1212 of Fig. 10.

Figure 13 is a section on the line 1313 of Figure 6 upon an enlarged scale.

Figure 14 is asectional view upon the line 14-14 ofFigure 15.

Figure 15 is a top plan view of the sheet clamping mechanism shown in Figure 1 1.

Figure 16 is an elevational View of a part of the reversing mechanism.

In referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 represents a tripod or standard upon which a sheet music holder or rackis supported. The sheet holder or rack comprises a pair of sections in the form of right angle members 2 and 3 which may be removably latched together in alinement in any well known wav or by the latch 41- and keeper 5 shown in Fig. 6, the lower flanges thereof constituting a ledge for sup porting the edges of the sheets of music, while the vertical flanges constitute a portion of the back against which the sheet music may lean, frame members 6 extending upwardly from the vertical flanges completing the back of the holder or rack. A vertical post or rod 7 is removably supported adjacent the inner end of the section 3 by means of a hollow bearing socket 8 14). A block 9 is secured to the top of the rod 7. the block being provided with an offset bifurcated portion inwhich a resilient clamping member 10 is pivoted which depends downwardly over the junctureof the sections 2 and 3. A spring 11is adapted to wedge the member 10 against the juncture of two leaves of sheet music which is adapted to be inserted under the clamp and pressed.

against the back of the rack thereby to prevent the sheets from being laterally shifted. It should be understood that by the term sheet music is meant any plurality of sheets of music connected together at their inner margins, either in book or pamphlet form.

The sheet music is adapted to be supported upon the holder as above explained, and the leaves may be turned as desired by the leaf turning mechanism. In order to insure the turning of but a single leaf at a time, the lower margin of each leaf adjacent the front edges thereof is provided with an aperture 12 and a slot 13 (Fig. 3) adapted for re:eiving the rounded or convex detents or prongs 15 of a gripping element 14 (Fig. 4), said prongs being of such a length as to extend substantially through only two pages of music, and being spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between the slots and apertures in the leaves. The slots and apertures are reversely arranged in successive pages as shown in Fig. 3, which illustrates the top page as having the slot above the aperture, while the next page therebeneath is provided with the slot 13 (shown in dotted lines) below the aperture. The arrangement is such that one convex prong will extend through the rear end of the slot 13 of the top page and into the aperture of the, page therebeneath, while the other rounded prong will extend through the aperture of the top page. The mechanism for turning the leaves comprises means for flexing or buckling the top leaf by moving thereover in frictional engagement therewith; this force will be sutiiciently great to draw the top leaf out from under itsrounded prong, but the slight pull likely to be imparted to the leaf just beneath will not be sufficient to shift or draw it from under its prong. Consequently, when the fleXor moves over the top page it will be drawn from under the prong in its aperture and be flexed; the other prong passing through the slot 13.

The gripping element 14 is frictionally secured to a curved arm 16 as by a pivot 17, the arm 16 bein in turn pivoted to a similarly curved lever 18 by a pivot 19, and the lever 18 is provided with a lip 20 extending beneath the arm 16 to prevent the latter from folding inwardly. The lever 18 is pivoted intermediate its end to a U- shaped bracket 21 secured upon the holder section 2, the free end of the lever being in the form of a cam or tail 18 adapted to be actuated by a cam 22 yieldingly pivoted upon a stud 23 secured to a movable or slidable plate member 24. A spring surrounds the stud 23 and is normally effective for urging the cam 22 against a pin 25 projecting from the slidable plate member 24. In referring to Fig. 5, it will be plainly apparent that as the slidable member 24 is shifted to the left, the cam 22 will engage the tail of the lever 18 shown in inoperative position and swing the same upwardly and force the gripper 14 into Contact with the music sheets, as previously explained.

The aforementioned fleXor for flexing or buckling the pages comprises a vertically swingable lever 26, best shown in Figure 10, which is pivoted in a bifurcated head of a pivot 27 rotatably mounted in a longitudinal block 28 supported upon a rod 29. The pivot pin 27 extends through the block 28 and has rigidly secured upon its rear end a downwardly projecting arm 30. The lever 26 is slightly arcuate in form and of channel-like cross section with the web 31 constituting its outer periphery. A supplemental lever 32 having an outer curved cam end 32 is pivoted intermediate its ends in the aforementioned bifurcated head of pivot pin 27 beneath the web 31 of the said lever A leaf spring 33 is secured to the back of the lever 32 and bears against the back of the web 31. A frictional leaf buckling element 34 of rubber or the like is retained or clamped between the flanges of a U- shaped member or shoe 35 which is pivotally secured intermediate its ends, preferably at the middle point thereof within the channel-shaped lever 26 upon a pivot 36, and a leaf spring 37 attached to the lever 26 bears against the upper end of the shoe 35. It will be noted that the connection of the lever to the block 28 constitutes a gimbal joint in that the lever can be swung upwardly and downwardly on the pivot pin 27 and can be swung forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the sheet music on the pivot 27 which secures it to the pivot 27. The rod 29 is supported in suitable blocks 38 and 39 (Fig. 8) secured to the bottom of the section 2, and a collar 40 is secured upon said rod between which and the block 28 a coil spring 41 is mounted.

The flexor is normally in the position illustrated in Figures 5, 7 and 8. Mechanism has been provided for swinging it upwardly from this position, then tilting it against the leaves of the binder and moving it longitudinally for buckling the leaves. The mechanism illustrated for accomplishing this function in the present instance comprises an abutment or dog 42 (Fig. 13) pivoted to a pair of ears extending from the rear side of the plate 24. The abutment or dog 42 extends through an aperture in the slidable plate member 24 and its projecting contact end is inclined or wedge-shaped for a purpose to be later set forth. A spring 43 bears against the rear of the dog 42 for projecting the same through the aperture. The slidable plate member 24 is provided with a slotted guideway (Fig. 6) through which a pair of studs 24 extend which are secured upon the rear of the section .2, and. a .Z-bar 24 may fit over'the top of theplate 24 for providing a retaining guideway therefor. Now as the plate member 24 is shifted to the left from the position shown in Fig. 5, the abutment will contactthe depending arm and raise it into a horizontal plane, thereby ele vating the flexor into a vertical position. Further movement of plate member 24 will bring a cam 44 on the plate member 24 under the tail 32 of the lever 82 for yieldingly swinging the fiexor against the music sheets, as shown in Figure 10. lVhen this position of the parts is reached, the dog 42, which has been sliding idly under the arm 30 during the time that the fleXor was tilted forwardly, will strike a beveled lug 3O extending from the forward edge of the arm 30,

and further movement of the plate member- 24 toward the left will cause the block 28, together with the flexor to move longitudinally against the pressure of the spring 41, the buckling element34 frictionally engaging the upper leaf during such movement and buckling and flexing the same.

As soon as a leaf is thuswise flexed, a leaf turner is swung under the buckled leaf. In the illustrated embodiment of this invention, the leaf turner comprises a swingable arm or lever secured upon a rod 45 journalled in the block 39 and having a wire frame or support 46 secured thereto for engaging and turning the successive leaves. lVhen the member 45 engages under a leaf, it is necessary that the flexor be released from the leaf to allow the same to be turned. The parts are so designed that when the leaf turner 45 has been swung under the top leaf, the resistance of the spring 41 will have overcome the resistance of the spring 43 on the dog 42 and the friction between the dog'42 and lug 30 whereby the dog 42 will be forced rearwardly through the aperture in the slidable plate member 24 releasing the arm 30 Whereby the block 28 will be forced back to normal position by the spring 41. At the same time, the arm 30 will drop by gravity or spring pressure and the spring 26 will force the flexor away from the leaves. Of course. it will be understood that as the arm 30 drops, it will carry the fleXor therewith into horizontal position. It will. therefore, be apparent that as the leaf turner swings under a buckled leaf, the latter will be released by the flexor.

The leaf turner 45 is operated at the proper time by means of a roller 47 (Fig. 6) carried by the slidable plate member 24. which roller is adapted to engage under a curved crank arm 48 secured upon the rod 45 upon the rear side of the sheet holder. It will be apparent that as the plate member 24 is slid sufliciently, the roller 47 will air gage and swing the crank arm 48 and rotate the rod'45 for swingingthe leaf turner 45 for turning a leaf, A spring 45 may be wound around the rod '45 and properly anchored for returning the leaf turner upon shaft 45 to initial position.

In cases where it is desired to turn one or more leaves back for repeating the music, additional mechanism has been provided for this purpose. In the illustrated embodiment of this invention, a reverse leaf turner 49 having a wire frame 49 attached thereto is adapted to be swung upwardly when desired to catch or support the turned leaves, the notes of which it is desired to repeat. The leaf turner 49 is rigidly secured to a shaft 50 journalled in suitable bearings depending from the section 3 and a small spur gear 51 is secured upon said shaft. The spur gear 51 is adapted to be driven by a larger spur gear 52 rigidly secured upon a shaft 53 which extends to the opposite side of the sheet holder where it has rigidly secured thereon an arcuate operating dog 54, best shown in dotted lines in Figure 6. A ratchet wheel is rotatably supported adjacent the dog 54, and is provided with a plurality of equally spaced rollers 56, four in the present instance, which are adapted to successively engage the concave side of the dogand swing the same for rotating the shaft 53.

The ratchet wheel is provided with a plurality of spaced notches or teeth, eight in the present instance, which are adapted to be periodically engaged by a driving pawl 57 pivoted upon the lever 58 mounted concentrically with the ratchet wheel. A holding pawl 58 is pivoted upon the section 3 for preventing reverse rotation of the ratchet wheel. As the ratchet wheel. is revolved the distance of one tooth in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 6, the roller 56 adjacent the dog will engage the dog and rotate the same whereby the shaft 53 and gear 52 will be rotated through a. small arc. The rotation of gear 52 will rotate gear 51 through a larger arc and swing 'the reverse leaf turner 49 over the left hand leaves of the music sheets where it will rest until the ratchet wheel is again actuated. This will take place when it is desired to rcversely turn the leaves for repeating purposes which have been turned upon the reverse turner. \Vhen the ratchet wheel is given another fractional rotation of of a revolution, the dog 54 will be swung further and through the gears 52 and 51 the reverse turner 49 will be swung for turning the leaves collected thereon to the right. At the end of the second fractional revolution of the ratchet wheel 55, the roller which engages the dog 54 will ride over the outer end thereof and release the same, a spring 59 acting to return the reverse turner 49 and the dog 54 to initial position.

The lever 58 is normally held in raised position by a spring (30, and is adapted to be actuated by a trcadle .51 secured upon the bottom of the standard 1 and connected to said lever by a link 62. Another treadle 63 is supported upon the base of the standard and is connected by a link 64 with one arm of a bell crank lever pivoted upon a bracket attached to the standard; the other arm of the bell crank lever is provided with a lost motion slot which engages a stud 66 011 the slidable plate member 24. The bell crank lever 65 is connected to a spring (37 for returning the same to normal position after each operation.

In using the music holding stand involving this invention, the sheet music is supported upon the sections 2 and 8 with the clamp 10 extending between the pages at which the sheets are opened. The performer, having completed the music on the open pages, can readily turn the next page by stepping upon the foot pedal 63, leaving him always the free use of his hands. Operation of the foot pedal will shift the slidable plate member 24 to the left, and as this plate member is thuswise shifted, the cam 22 thereon will engage under the tail 18 of the flexible lever 181($ for forcing the gripper 14 into co-operating relation with the apertures in the sheet music, and the dog 42 will simultaneously engage the arm 30 and raise it and the flexor (263234) connected thereto to vertical position. The cam. 44 will then engage under the tail of lever 82 for tilting the fleXor against the leaves of the sheet music. IVhen these operations have taken place, the dog 42 will engage the lug 30 on the arm 30 and bodily shift the fieXor to the left for buckling the top leaf. When the top leaf has been buckled, the roller 47 on the slidable plate member 24 will engage the crank lever 48 and rotate the shaft 45 for swinging the leaf turner under the buckled or flexed leaf. At this point, the dog 42 will be forced through the aperture in the slidableplate member 24 as.

previously explained, thereby releasingthe arm 30 and flGXOl', which will drop to initial position. As soon as the flexor is released, the leaf turner 45 will be swung sufficiently for turning a leaf. As soon as the foot 1s removed from the pedal 63, the spring 67 will return the slidable member 24 to initial position and the spring 45 will return the leaf turner to initial and inoperative position.

Vhen it is desired to repeat the music on one or more pages, the operator only needs to press down upon the pedal 61 for rotating the ratchet wheel 55, whereby a roller 56 will engage the dog or crank arm 54 for rotating the gear 52 which meshes with the gear 51. Rotation of gear 51 will swing the reverse leaf turner 49 into position on the leaves on the left hand side stand and the holding dog of the ratchet will retain the ratchet in position with the roller holding the dog 54 from reverse rotation, and as the repeating leaves are turned, as above explained, from the right hand side of the stand, they will fall upon the reverse leaf turner 49. When the repeating point occurs, and the operator desires to turn the leaves back he presses again upon the foot pedal 61 and rotates the ratchet another notch. This operation will swing reverse leaf turner 49 toward the right and turn the desired repeating leaves back. This second operation of the ratchet wheel will cause the en gaging roller to ride clear of the dog or crank 54, allowing the spring 59 to return the reverse leaf turner to initial and inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 5.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have devised a simple and novel mechanism for turning the leaves of music for a player by means of foot power so that the hands are always free and have embodied means there in for turning back a page or any number of pages for repeating purposes.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a music stand, a sheet music support, a rod mounted adjacent thereto, a spring-pressed flexor mounted upon said rod and comprising a depending arm having a lug thereon, and a foot operated slidable member having a spring pressed dog adapted for engaging said arm and elevating the same to longitudinal position and then engaging said lug for shifting said flexor longitudinally.

2. In a music turner, a sheet music support, a rod supported thereon, a springpressed block slidably mounted upon said rod, a pivot ournalled in said block, a flexor pivoted upon said pin, a rigid arm seemed to said pin, a slidably mounted member, a yiel'dingly mounted dog upon said member adapted for engaging said arm for raising said fleXor and then shifting the same on said rod, a cam on said member for engag ing the lower end of said flexor for tilting the same, and a leaf turner actuated by said slidably mounted member.

3. The combination with a music stand for holding sheet music, of a leaf flexor, a rod for sli'dingly supporting said flexor, a leaf turner and a slidably mounted member having means thereon for engaging and swinging said fleXor into vertical position and tilting the same against said sheets, and moving the same longitudinally, and other means upon said member for swinging said leaf turner.

4. The combination with a music stand for holding sheet music, of a sheet flexor, a

sheet turner, of a slidable member having means thereon for successively elevating and shifting said fiexor, operating said leaf turner and releasing said flexor.

5. In a music stand, a leaf fleXor, a leaf turner, a slidable memberliaving means for engaging said flGXOl and moving it into contact with a music leaf and longitudinally shifting the same for buckling said leaf, and operating said leaf turner, a reverse leaf turner and independent means for swinging said reverse leaf turner for catching a turned leaf and reversely turning the same.

6. In a music stand for holding sheet music, a leaf flenor, a rod for slidingly supporting the same, a spring on said rod for limiting the movement of said fiexor, a leaf turner and a slidable member having means for engaging and operating said flexor and for swinging said leaf turner.

7. In a music stand for holding sheet music, a slidably mounted leaf buckler, a leaf turner, a slidable member for operating said buckler and turner, and a pivoted element for retaining the nether leaf against flexing actuated by said slidable member.

8. In a sheet music turner, a leaf buckler, a leaf turner, a slidable member for actuating the same and a gripping member actuated by said slidable member for engaging the nether leaf and retaining the same against buckling.

In testimony whereof I have hereuntosubscribed my name.

LAWRENCE OSTERMAN. 

